How Much SSD Storage Do Gamers Need in 2026?
Lennon Byatt
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is in full swing, and between screaming at the TV, arguing with mates about formations, and watching Germany dismantle Curacao 7-1, we reckon there's another lineup worth building. Your dream gaming PC.
Every great football team needs the right player in the right position. And every great gaming PC needs the right component doing the right job. So we've matched the two up, here's your Dream XI, AWD-IT style.
How Much SSD Storage Do Gamers Need in 2026?
Modern PC games are bigger than ever. With massive open worlds, ultra-high-resolution textures and regular content updates, it's not unusual for a single game to take up well over 100GB of storage.
If you're building a new gaming PC or upgrading your current setup, choosing the right SSD size is just as important as picking your CPU or graphics card. So, how much storage do you really need?
How Big Are Modern Games?
Many of today's most popular titles require a significant amount of storage, especially once updates and downloadable content are installed.
Some examples include:
- Call of Duty – 150GB+
- Black Myth: Wukong – Around 130GB
- Forza Horizon 5 – Around 150GB
- Starfield – Around 125GB
- Baldur's Gate 3 – Around 150GB
If you regularly play several AAA games, your storage can fill up surprisingly quickly.
Your storage can fill up surprisingly quickly
The Perfect England Matchday PC Schedule
Here's how to make the most of the best England kick-off time we've had all tournament:
| Time (BST) | What's Happening | PC Task |
|
2pm–4:45pm
|
Pre-match build-up
|
Game session — get a proper hour in
|
|
4:45pm
|
Teams announced
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Close the game, open BBC iPlayer
|
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5pm
|
Kick-off
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Stream on second monitor, game on hold
|
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~6:50pm
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Second half
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Back on the stream
|
|
~8pm
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Full time (hopefully)
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Celebrate / commiserate, fire the game back up
|
Is a 1TB SSD Enough?
For many gamers, 1TB is still a great starting point.
It provides enough space for Windows, everyday applications and a selection of your favourite games. If you tend to play the same few titles and don't mind uninstalling games you no longer use, a 1TB SSD is a cost-effective option.
It's also a great option for gamers who create content
Why 2TB Is Becoming the Sweet Spot
A 2TB SSD offers far more flexibility for modern gaming.
You'll have room for a larger game library without constantly juggling installations, making it an ideal choice for players who enjoy a mix of AAA releases, multiplayer games and indie favourites.
For most gamers building a new PC in 2026, 2TB strikes the best balance between capacity and value.
Who Should Consider 4TB?
If you download lots of games through platforms like Steam, Xbox Game Pass or Epic Games Store, a 4TB SSD could be worth considering.
It's also a great option for gamers who create content, record gameplay or edit videos, as these files can quickly take up additional storage.
Why an NVMe SSD Matters
Storage capacity isn't the only thing to think about, speed matters too.
Modern NVMe SSDs offer much faster loading times than older SATA SSDs or traditional hard drives, helping games launch quicker and reducing loading screens in large open-world titles.
Many newer games are also designed with fast SSDs in mind, making an NVMe drive a worthwhile investment for smoother gameplay.
Which Ryzen X3D CPU Should You Choose?
AMD offers several excellent X3D processors depending on your budget and gaming needs.
- Ryzen 7 7800X3D – A fantastic all-round gaming CPU that continues to deliver exceptional performance.
- Ryzen 7 9800X3D – Ideal for gamers looking for the latest Zen 5 architecture and top-tier gaming performance.
- Ryzen 9 X3D models – Better suited to users who also stream, edit videos or create content alongside gaming.
For most gamers, a Ryzen 7 X3D processor offers the best balance of price and performance.
Ryzen 7 X3D processor offers the best balance of price and performance
Get the full squad: Gaming PC Bundles
A Gaming PC Bundle makes sense if you need more than the tower.
Maybe your monitor is ancient. Maybe your keyboard and mouse have seen better days. Maybe you are building your first proper gaming setup and want the essentials sorted together.
A bundle can help you get the full setup in one go, instead of slowly piecing it together over months.
It is the easiest way to go from “I need a PC” to “I’ve got a full setup.”
Best Sim Racing Setup for Beginners: Start With the Essentials
You don’t need a full cockpit immediately. A well‑chosen beginner setup helps you develop skills faster and keeps costs under control.
1. Steering Wheel and Pedals (Top Priority)
Your wheel and pedals are the most important part of any sim racing rig. Force feedback allows you to feel grip changes, kerbs, and steering resistance—crucial for learning car control.
Beginner tip: Focus on force feedback quality rather than raw power.
Your wheel and pedals are the most important part of any sim racing rig. Force feedback allows you to feel grip changes, kerbs, and steering resistance—crucial for learning car control.
Creators in attendance
Stacked lineup
Experience zones
Arcades · Sim rigs · PCs
Tech on display
Latest gen builds
Verdict
Showroom certified
Pick Your Tier
We've named each tier after a tournament stage, because let's be honest, that's exactly the kind of thing we'd do. Find your budget and dive in.
Group Stage
Round of 32
Quarter Final
World Cup Final
England's Path If They Get Through
Win against Congo DR and England's potential route to the Final looks like this:
• Round of 16 (8–9 July): Mexico or Ecuador — tough but winnable
• Quarter-Final (12–13 July): Potentially Brazil — the big one
• Semi-Final (15–16 July): Possibly Argentina — we're in Messi territory now
• Final (19 July): MetLife Stadium, New Jersey — it might be coming home
The bracket is genuinely open. England are well-placed, and Tuchel's side are unbeaten in ten competitive fixtures. Don't get your hopes up. Also: get your hopes up.
The bracket is genuinely open
GTA 6 GPU Comparison Table (RTX 50 Series)
|
GPU Model
|
Performance Tier
|
Best Resolution
|
VRAM (Expected)
|
GTA 6 Settings
|
Ideal User Type
|
|
RTX 5060
|
Entry-Level
|
1080p
|
8–12GB
|
Medium–High
|
Budget gamers looking for smooth GTA 6 gameplay
|
|
RTX 5070
|
Mid-Range
|
1440p
|
12–16GB
|
High–Ultra
|
Best value for most UK gamers
|
|
RTX 5070 Ti
|
Upper Mid-Range
|
1440p / 4K
|
16GB
|
Ultra
|
High FPS + future-proofing
|
|
RTX 5080
|
High-End
|
4K
|
16–20GB
|
Ultra + Ray Tracing
|
Enthusiasts & high-performance gaming builds
|
|
RTX 5090
|
Ultra Enthusiast
|
4K+ / 8K
|
24GB+
|
Max Settings + Full Ray Tracing
|
No-compromise, ultimate GTA 6 experience
|
The point is don't buy a £150 mouse expecting it to fix your aim. Buy it because the weight, shape, and quality will make long gaming sessions more comfortable.
AWD-IT stocks gaming mice from Razer, Corsair, and ASUS at a range of price points. If you're unsure where to start, a mid-range wireless mouse from any of these brands will give you everything you need for competitive gaming.
Signs your PC has genuinely run its race
When It IS Time for a Full Rebuild
Even Messi will retire eventually. And there are signs your PC has genuinely run its race:
• CPU is pre-2018 and DDR3 (no DDR5 upgrade path available)
• Motherboard doesn't support PCIe 4.0 — you're bottlenecking modern GPUs
• Power supply is under 500W — can't safely run anything modern
• Multiple components failing, temperatures consistently hitting 90°C+
If you're ticking more than two of those boxes, a fresh AWD-IT pre-built is often better value than stacking upgrades onto a dead-end platform. You get a warranty, a coherent spec, and you know everything works together from day one.
Is It Worth Upgrading?
If your current system is several years old or you're building a new gaming PC, a Ryzen X3D processor is one of the best upgrades you can make for gaming performance.
Pairing an X3D CPU with a modern graphics card like an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT creates a system capable of delivering excellent frame rates across today's most demanding games.
Final Thoughts
As games continue to grow in size, having enough fast storage is becoming increasingly important. While a 1TB SSD is still suitable for many players, 2TB is now the ideal choice for most gamers looking to build or upgrade a modern gaming PC.
If you're planning a new system, AWD-IT offers a wide range of gaming PCs with configurable high-speed NVMe SSD options, making it easy to choose the storage that best suits your gaming library now and in the future.
